5 Easy And Natural Ways To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

5 Easy And Natural Ways To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

All you need to do is make sure that your skin maintains its maximum elasticity throughout your pregnancy, so it can handle the stress caused by stretching. This can be achieved by following a few key tips.

Home Remedies To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy

Here are some key tips to prevent pregnancy stretch marks.

1. Moisturize Your Skin

You must also use a moisturizer to hydrate the skin on your abdominal area, as well as any other areas where you notice stretch marks developing.

Coconut oil, cocoa butter, almond oil, shea butter and wheat germ oil are popular and effective choices to keep your skin moisturized during pregnancy. These oils are rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and support the regeneration of new tissues and healthy skin cells.

It is recommended to moisturize your skin in the morning after bathing and again at night. If your skin itches, moisturize that area more often.

Rub the oil of your choice on the affected area, then massage gently using circular motions so the oil penetrates deep into the skin. Another option is to apply fresh aloe vera gel on the areas prone to stretch marks.

2. Watch Your Weight

Another way you can prevent stretch marks is by maintaining a healthy weight, despite the added pounds from the baby. During pregnancy, you’ll obviously gain weight over a relatively brief period of time. It is normal to gain about 22 to 28 pounds during pregnancy.

But you must avoid rapid and unhealthy weight gain, which can cause your skin to stretch more and make any stretch marks more prominent.

3. Exercise

Exercising regularly during pregnancy is important. It helps the skin retain its elasticity by improving your blood circulation. Exercise and stretching also induce sweating, thus removing toxins from the body.

Plus, exercise will help prevent you from gaining weight too quickly, which can make stretch marks worse.

Consult your doctor about incorporating light exercises, yoga, or a workout designed for pregnant women into your routine. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or complications, it’s critical that you talk to your doctor first about what type of exercise would be appropriate for your condition.

After the baby is born, you can use strength training and cardio workouts to help your skin tighten up and reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

4. Stay Hydrated

Whether or not you are pregnant, drinking an ample amount of water throughout the day is important for healthy skin. Water helps detoxify your body and keeps your skin plump. This contributes to maintaining skin elasticity.

According to the Institute of Medicine, the current recommendation for a woman’s daily fluid intake is 72 ounces. So, drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. You don’t need to drink a huge amount at one time. Instead, keep sipping a little water throughout the day.

At the same time, eat fruits and vegetables with high water content to help hydrate your body. For example, eat a salad with cucumbers, bell peppers and celery. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also healthy for your baby.

5. Avoid Caffeine

During pregnancy, your body has an increased demand for hydration, as your blood volume is increasing and your body is building a huge water sack around your unborn baby. Caffeine has a dehydrating effect on the body, so avoid foods and beverages containing caffeine like coffee, tea and soda.

If your body is not properly hydrated, your skin loses some of its elasticity and becomes more prone to tears associated with stretch marks. Also, it can cause an increase in free radicals in the body.

Reducing caffeine intake during pregnancy is also good for your baby’s health.

No matter how much you crave coffee, tea and soda, try to avoid them. Instead, you can drink herbal tea, fruit juices and other caffeine-free fluids.